BillNewton

I first discovered clay in the mid 70’s and after a 20 year break; clay came back into my life when my wife Joyce took a pottery course in 1997. In 2000, we rented studio space at Claymakers, a clay distributor in downtown Durham, NC and 2 years later had a studio built at home. Since retiring from an 8 to 5 job in 2003, I can step out my back door and into the studio at anytime. I usually lose track of time as soon as I touch the clay. The book “Turners and Burners” by Terry Zug piqued my interest in Folk Art, so I enjoy creating all kinds of face jugs. I also make frog mugs, snakes, plates, mugs and bowls with carved designs, platters and many other functional pieces. Every day is creative, fun and a learning experience as I learn more about clay, techniques, glazes and a little about myself.

My pots are thrown on wheel or sometimes hand built using cone 6, mid-range stoneware and porcelain. With my face jugs after the pot has dried a bit, pieces of clay, as many as 21 pieces or more are added to create the face. After bisque, they are glazed and fired in an electric kiln to cone 6. With most of my face jugs a wood ash glaze is dripped around top of pot. After placing the pot in the kiln, pieces of stained glass are placed on the handles. When the face jug reaches temperature, the glass and wood ash glaze run down the sides.

As a potter, I want to create unusual and functional pottery and face jugs that make people smile.